Auto Industry NewsAnd Car Reviews

A well-publicized and long-standing goal of President Obama and his administration is to put a million electric vehicles on U.S. roads by 2015 in an effort to cut dependence on foreign oil and improve emissions. Recently, though, it's become increasingly obvious that that goal may just be a little too ambitious, with media reports showing that the administration's numbers are overly optimistic, to put it politely.

So, Obama is taking a little motivation from the age-old maxim "If you want it done right, do it yourself." He recently ordered the government to purchase more than 100 EVs for the government fleet.

Back in January we had our first glimpse at the incredible new generation XL1 which uses a mere 0.9 liters of gas per 100 km. The prototype XL1 is the latest vision in VW’s quest to create a production 1-liter car which is both affordable and practical. And most recently, VW debuted the XL1 to the United States at the New York City Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA, as residents affectionately proclaim.

VW suggests that future mobility is one of the most stimulating topics of our time and the XL1 aims to address the most critical question: how little energy consumption can a single car operate on? Well, since January 2011 the answer comes in vehiclar form. VW doesn’t just pose outlandish questions while standing on the sideline. No, no, VW actually delivered a new version of the XL1 which sets a new standard for efficiency.

Everyone remembers the first time they saw it. It instantly captured the imaginations of men, younger men, some women, and every child that laid eyes on it. The Dodge Viper roared off the production line in 1992 and carved out a place in the human heart that no American car had in nearly three decades.

Inspired by the first car to bear a snake badge (and had the fangs to match), the Viper became the modern rendition of the perennial Shelby Cobra. In its initial public offering, the Viper was incredibly close to the Cobra, not only in design, but in options as well. No roof, no door handles, no side windows (unless you count zipping up pieces of plastic), no air conditioning, no traction control, or anti-lock brake system.

Like it or not, Aston is re-launching the Lagonda brand and is going to have a family of SUVs and crossovers to go along with its otherwise awesome and sportastic line. Looking at the dour mug of the 2009 Lagonda crossover, we'll go with "not."

Regardless, Aston likes the Lagonda re-launch enough to offer two or three initial models with the nameplate on the rear. CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez recently sat down withCar magazine and detailed a few plans.

Back at the 2009 SEMA show, the world was presented with an entirely new type of automobile. It was called the Rally Fighter, and not only did it look like something that an off-road-obsessed, mechanically gifted, garage-workshop tuner might have come up with, but it was entirely developed by an enthusiastic internet community. Local Motors, a start-up with new ideas on how automobiles could be built, held a competition for designers to submit ideas. Then they chose the best one to build: the Rally Fighter from Sangho Kim.

Bone-rattling, V12 exclamations. Muscular, cat-like cornering and reflexes. Unforgivingly fast straightaways. Deep, high-revving, expletive-inciting action. It's all there in the latest video showcasing the Pagani Huayra. And it all looks as good as advertised. The video shows some track footage taken at the Adria International Raceway.

As we wait for the coming of the first U.S.-spec Pagani next year, it's nice to catch up with the sounds and sights of the next great multi-millionaire car. And today's four-minute clip does anything and everything but disappoint.

Apparently Viper fans are getting a little impatient and rambunctious waiting for the 2013 Viper to rear its scaly, triangular head. And when fans of fast, powerful cars get bored, mayhem has a way of ensuing.

Breaking about every rule in the safety book, a Swedish tuner set the Viper loose for some drifting debauchery. Okay, nothing too crazy about that. Only the Viper in question didn't have a body.

A well-known dealership group and bankers are working hard to slow, or stop, upcoming reform legislation.

The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), along with captive financing agencies, credit unions, and banks, is supporting the efforts of congressional Republicans to reduce the power of a new government consumer finance agency that is positioning itself as a watchdog for consumers.

Sure, the new Ford Mustang GT is a fun. It's got the awesome Coyote 5.0 engine sporting dual overhead cams, 32 valves with variable technology, and not to mention 400+ horsepower. But, what's that? Not enough horsepower, you say? Well, okay, Dearborn has an answer for your power needs too, in the form of the very exciting Shelby GT500.

Surely, with 550 horsepower and a 5.4 liter supercharged all-aluminum ground-pounding V8, that should certainly cover your horsepower needs? No? Really? Okay, well, then Shelby can take that garden variety GT500 of yours and turn it into one of the meanest Mustangs to ever come off a production line.

There are cars that are fun to read about, and then there are cars that make you wish the talking heads would just shut up and show some video. And even though I'm technically one of those talking heads, I've long wished that I could just shut up and show some video when it comes to the Noble M600; because this is a car that promises to perform in a way that its specs might underestimate.

It seems that carmakers these days want to make sure they explore every avenue imaginable. They want to see that there is a car to fit every need, want, or even whim. We have all-wheel drive Ferraris, Porsche SUVs, and even four hundred horsepower Jeeps; there really is something for everyone. And now, there's one more option out there for those that have been dreaming of it: The Mini Cooper Countryman S All4.

Don't be mistaken, this car, err, truck, er, uh... crossover... yeah, crossover is still a Mini. It runs with the same 1.6-liter inline four cylinder 181-horsepower engine as the standard Cooper, the same six-speed manual gearbox, same big tachometer front and center, and has the same standard Cooper's quirky personality. The only real difference is that the Countryman S All4 is bigger by two doors and taller by a few inches. The only other big difference is that the All4 runs through... you guessed it... all four wheels instead of the traditional two Coopers have been accustomed to.